Coating-machine.



A. L. BAUSMAN.

comma MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I0. I913.

1 1 60,99 1 Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES." I INVENTOR.

m Alonza Lbazwmm.

MQIIQMMW' BY a A TTORNE Y5 COLUMBIA FLANOURAPN 60.. WASHINGTON, n. C.

A. L. BAUSMAN.

COATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-10.1913.

l 1 60,99 1 I Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2'.

- I INVENTOR.

$ M AZwzwLBamsma/z. W .%4LZM3 BY a 2 a;

ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA PLANOQIMPH col. WASHINGTON. D. C

A. L. BAUSMAN.

COATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 10, 1913.

1 ,1 60,99 1 Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

RQQQ

N lllll III II II" ll 1 LQ a 1 Q Q WITNESSES: v INVENTOR. J'K'i M2220 LBausmcz/ z.

"6444M Wk 9 215.4 BY

' A TTOR NE Y5 COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH c0., WASHINGTON D c A. L. BAUSMAN.

COATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 050.10. 1913.

Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

IN VEN TOR. Alonzo L. Bawmm WITNESSES:

WWWW/M A. L. BAUSMAN.

COATING MACHINE. APPLICATION mm 0:010. 1913.

1,160,991 Patented Nov. 16, 1915 WITNESSES: $5 5 IN VEN TOR. 3 6W. AZozmLBazwzzzaza W 4%. n ow BY 6 A TTORNEYJ COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH 60., WAsmNawN. n. c

ALONZO LINTON BAUSMAN, 0F CHIOOPEE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL EQUIPMENT GOMIPANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

COATING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. December 10, 1913. .Serial 110.305,?74.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALoNzo LINTON,

BAITSMAN, a citizen of the United States,

residing in Chicopee, in the county. of Hampden, in the State of Massachusetts,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coating-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a coating machine and more particularly to a chocolate coating machine for providing confectionery centers with a suitable coating of chocolate in the manufacture of chocolate confections. Machines ,of the same general character have been heretofore in use.

the structure shown in patent to Magniez, #735,890, Aug. 11 1903.

The object of this invention is toprovide an improved arrangement of theelements in a machine of the kind referred to as well as to improve the elements, subcombinations, and combinations, advantageous in such a machine.

lVith these objects in view the invention will be described as shown in Lonespecific embodiment thereof,.as shown in the accompanying drawings in Which:

Figure 1 shows an end view partly broken away, of the assembled. machine. Fig. 2 shows a side view of the machine with the side wall of the casing removedto show the interior. Fig. 8 shows a planviewof the casingmand the driving mechanismlocated in the upper partthereof. F ig. tshows a section taken on line 4-4.of Fig. 2. i Fig. 5 shows a section taken on line 55 of Fig. 2.

l ig. 6 shows a section taken on line '66 of Fig. 5. Fig; 7 shows a sectiontaken. on line 7--7 of Fig 5. p

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3:;Themain driving shaft a mounted in thecasing'or frame c has tight (and loose pulleys thereon forthe drivingbelt. The shaft 0 isdriven from shaft a by suitable, gearing .(see'Fig,

2). The shaft 6 is driven from shaft 0 through a speed changing gear set controlled by the shifting devices f operable by a hand" wheel extending fromlthe casing, all I as clearly shown in F igs.2 and 3. a The driving shaft m for the. agitators (tohbe. described) has a bevelgear connection nlto shaft e and therewith (see Fig. 2). I this shaft k, a bevel gear is arranged to extendsdownwardly to the bottom of the casing. At the lower end (see Fig. 2) the gear 26 isfixed, meshing with gear 27. The gear 27 is mounted on the lower end of the agitator shaft extending through the center of chocolate tank 31. A similar gear 29 and shaft is assembled in connection with tank 30. To both of these shafts the agitators 36, one set in each tank 30 and 31' are fastened (see Fig. 7). The gear 29 is driven a from gear 27 by the idler 37 meshing with both gears.

A shaft 9 (see Fig. 2) extending through the, casing is designed to serve as a driving The present invention is an improvement over means for two canvas conveyer belts (not shown),'o ne to feed centers to be coated, to the machme, and one to take the coated of which has a bevel gear connection 0 with theashaft e. Two clutches r and 25 are operated byhandles 19 (see Figs. 1 and 2) without the casing to connect or disconnect Patented Nov. is, 1915.

either one of the canvas belts driven by the shaft q.

The wire beltdriving shaft 70 is driven from shaft m by spur gear connection 25 At the lower end of drive the sprocket shaft 7 which is mounted in the-frame or casing 11.

The chocolate elevating means -35 arranged vertically in the cylinder 5 is driven by shaft Z passing through a stuftingbox in the closed end of the cylinder. At the upper end, ofsh'aft Z is a horizontal friction disk g against which bears a friction drivlatter shafthas a spur gear connection with shaftct. The wheel 9 is moved toward and from the center of thedislrgbv means of a bracket'or arm threa'ded to rod i and com/9'5 nectedto the wheel. By turning the haifd wheel 50 located outsideof the casing, and

The fan 2 mounted above thewirenbelt ltl ing; wheel -g. ifeathered t0 shaft 9. The

thusthe rod 5, the .chocolate elevating screw- I I can beregu lated tothe desired-speed very accurately;

thereto. A similar but reversely arranged disk 52 is keyed to a short-shaft alined with shaft h, which has fixed to its outer end a pulley w shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The disk 52 is driven by disk 51 through friction wheels (see Fig. 1) rotatably mounted in "forks at the ends of stud'shafts53. The

friction wheels may bear against the disk 51 near the center thereof and against disk 52 near the circumference thereof or viceversa and between these points accordingly as the shafts 53 are turned by the worm 7 wheel and segments shown operated by hand wheel 54. from without the casing." The "diskshl and 52 are cupped out for the purpose of receiving the friction wheels. This sort of a frictional speed changing device is wellknown area is not thought necessary to Show it in full detail. The fjiilly' a is belt connected as shown in Fig, v1 to a pulley 2/ Fi g. Ll eXtending otits'ide of thecasin and keyed to the ran shaft;

Itwill be noticed from the description so far and inspection of Fig. 2 that all the driving mechanism and appliances to operare'the coating machine are located outside The npner wallj'v' sepaof the casing 7). rates the gear ng-1 and sij'eed changing devices above the wall from rhao 'emble partsbelow. Only'the necessary shafts as ss through this wall. This arrangement is important in Later shafts drives by the chainsa -The Fig. a.

coating machinesin the interests of cleanli- I n ess and convenience. By the arrangement shownthe main frame or casing 0' completelv incloses the operable parts of the coating apparatus and subports'the'inain driving connections therefor in a separate compartment above and conveniently arranged with relation to the operable parts.

The horizontal iv'ire belt lfi which passes from end. of the casing to a point outsideithe other end is gunnorted bv and travels over shafts 13.7. 8, 9-, 10. and 11, driving wheel 12 and tension guide roller 1 (see mounted 'cre'sswise in the casing '0 or in braclrets attached thereto. Along one side of belt 16 the driving chains are arranged (see Figs. 2 and-4); One chain-passes arcandsprccket wheels on shafts 7, 8, 9.14 1 1 as well suitable guide rollers which are designed-to nr'operlv tension the chain. which in tnrn is'driven from" shaft as stave described.

This chain is driven from shaft 7 I V 4 Sha'ft10'is driven from shafts) and shaft 11 in turn from shaft 10 by suitable sprockets and chains (see Figs. '2 and 4). The drivingwheel la ha's'suitable teeth thereon to engagethe openings in wire belt and by this'rn'eans p@itivelv drive it.

This Wheel isdriven from shaft IObya set of spur 17 (see Fig.4). By inanually changing thegears in this set the sseedmav be varied 'with r s ect to the shaft 14.

and open outlet 21, or vice-versa.

These shafts and guide roller are shaft 13 is driven by a chain-connection with Theshafts over which the wire belt on its upper path travels are driven for the purpose of properly guiding it with-. out friction. The wire belt is tensioned by the roll 1 mounted on the lower end of the 'bell crank lever" pivoted on shaft 13 and turnedclockwise by the spring pressed rods a extending to the underside of cover o.

Extending across and above the belt 16 is the shower device 3 which is hung on rods 8 extending from the undersldes of cover 4). The lower ends of rods .9 are threaded 'into the device 3 and the rods are operatively connected by sprockets and a hand chain a as shown. By ,rnoving the hand chain the device 3 may be raised or lowered with'resp'ect to belt 16 as desired. The bottom of the shower device is provided with holes 55 throughout and above one half of these holes a semi-circular sieve is provided. The edges at each side in front of the sieve are turned down for a short distance extend in; over the'edge of the belt 16 to provide an overflow for excess chocolate.

The outlet of the fan 2 extends transversel across and immediately above'the belt 1610 direct a blast of air against the confections immediately after they receive :the coating. This fan is driven, as described (see Figs. 1 and 2) swing to close outlet 22 1 V By this meansrhe chocolate or other coatlng material being used maybe directed into one or I the other of the two tanks as desired. These tanks are arranged in the lower part ofthecasing'a'as shown in Fig. 5. There is a passage-70 and71, one leading from each tank to the lower end of the conveyer cylinder 5.

Surrounding the lower end of this cylinder 3 isa sleeve valve (see Fig. 6) controlling the passages 70 and 71. A collar 34 at the upperend of the sleeve is engaged by a pin 91 operated by the handle lever 33 mounted on'handle 32. The latter, embraces the cylin-- der forysup port but is loose thereon. A spring "normally keeps pin 91 out of engagementwith collar 3% until the lever 33 is opj -'erated to insert the pin. Thus the handle maybe swung into any position without operatin the sleeve valve and when it is desiredto operate, the valve pin 91 can be inserted atwill; It will be seen from Fig. .5

that passages 70 and 71 enter the lower end of the eonveyer cylinder as close together as "possible. Bythis arrangement the. valve 90 can be tamed to close'passage' 70,- open passage 71 m "vice versa or partly- 0pm both tank, are controlled by valves 28 to empty enter.

the tanks as desired. After the chocolate enters the conveyer cylinder 5 it is elevated and forced through feed cylinder 4 to a discharge point above the screen of the shower device 8.

It is necessary in operating with a coating material such as chocolate to obtain and maintain the chocolate at a desired temperature. The arrangement of my apparatus for this purpose is of particular importance. At the bottom of each tank 30 and 31, a steam coil 95 is provided. The steam enters this coil through suitable valves (see Fig. 5) from the feed pipe 96 and leaves through pipe 97. The bottom wall of each tank is cored out above the steam coils and connects with a jacket space surrounding each tank. Into this space hot water is fed through suit able valves from feed pipe 93. After the water has circulated below and around the tank it passes out from the upper end of each jacketthrough pipe 98. The conveyor cylinder 5 is jacketed as shown in Fig. 6 for a part of its length and into the bottom of this jacket space, steam and water is fed through the pipe 99. The upper end of the jacket space is connected to pipe 98.by pipe 86 through which the steam and water is (ex hausted. By this arrangement a constant circulation of a temperature controlling fluid is maintained adjacent to the large bulk of the chocolate.

y The operation of my improved machine will now be described to show the objects of the arrangement and construction which has I just been described in detail.

. The tanks 30 and 31 are, filled with chocolate or other coating material of the desired kind and the steam and hot water are turned on through pipes 99 and 93. This heating medium brings the chocolate to a desired temperature and tends to maintain it at that temperature. After the desired temperature is obtained the shaft a. is connected with any suitable driving mechanism and the machine begins to operate. The wirebelt 19 traverses the entire length of the machine and has candy centers or other material to be coated fed to it by means of a canvas belt, not shown, at a point to the left of the belt seen in Fig. 2. There is a small transverse opening in the casing to allow the canvas belt to The valve90 is turned by means of the handle 32 to connect one of the tanks 30 or 31 to the conveyor cylinder 5. The 616- vating mechanism 3 1 forces the chocolate up through the discharge tube 4 into the shower .1 device 3, the chocolate being screened before it enters the shower device above the perforated bottom. The shower device having been regulated to the proper distanceabove the wire belt, then begins to shower chocolate over the centers carried by the moving.

belt 16., The chocolate covers thecenters and;the excess chocolate drips through the wire belt on to the pan 20 and passes back 9 into one or both of the tanks 30 and 31 ac cording to the position of the valve plate 23. This operation is continued as long as desired, the coated candies being taken or? the wire belt at a point to the right shownin Fig. 2 by a canvas belt, not shown, but driven by shaft 9. Inasmuch as the chocolate is circulated from the tank up through the shower device on to the candies and back to the tank, it is liable to fall below the desired temperature.

In order to have the chocolate which is to coverthe confections always the same temperaturefor the proper coating operation,

the two tanks may be manipulated as folperiod, during which time the drip fromthe shower device on to the pan 20 may be di-' rected into the tank 31, and since this tank is not having the chocolatefed out from it, the temperature, is. more certainly maintained than where the chocolate is in more activecirculation. After a certain period this arrangementmay be reversed and the chocolate fed from the tank 31 to the shower device 8 and the excess chocolate dripping into the pan 20 may beidirected into tank 30. By either of these arrangements it will be seen that one tank is kept in reserve, in order to bring'the chocolate which has been cooled by the'circulation through the shower device up again to-the desired temperature before it is circulated again. This arrangement, I believe to be broadly new.

Inasmuch 'as. the several tanks and elevating cylinders have separate heating means, in other words, since each of these units are separately heated, 1t 1s much easier to keep the chocolate which is actually being circulated, at the desired temperature and this is of primary importance in a machine of the character described. This arrange ment of unitsalso results in a ship-shape arrangeme nt of the entire machine and a more flexible control both for the circulation of the chocolate and of the heating of the 1152/ chocolate circulated, than is the case in machines prior to my invention. It will be noted that practically all the operable parts of the machine are contained or inclosed by l casing r. With the two tanks each capabyaw tirely satisfactory, it is a weilglmowii fact that the best coating results are obtained whenthe material is at a certain tempera ture suitable to the coating used. With my 'machine theproper temperature of themachint' is maintained within the desired limits" throughout the entire 'days run.

, Bythe'arrangement' of the two tanks and common elevating means it isalso possible to, have diiferent qualities of" chocolate in' the two tanks and thus Where a coating of one particular kind is desired for partof a days run the single tank containing that coating can be connected to allow the circiil'ation of the'chocolate through the shower device and as soon as it' is desired to change the coating the valve can be manipulated to conne'ct'the other tank or the shower device.

The'cir'culation of the chocolate inthis case is from one tank to the: shower device and back to tl esame tank. Thus various vkinds of confections can be passed through the inacl'iine without stopping to, adapt the ma chine for the particular kind of confection fall below the desired degree, but, inasmuch as an intermittentrun of any certain material to be coated" will necessarily be short where the machine; is arranged to contain two kinds of coating materiahthe temperature will be maintained by the unit heating means torthe desired length of time. The more ordinary use'of the mach ne w ll be to operate on one kind of confection for a long period and in this case the arrangement 3 I described w illfinsurecoating material at exactly the right, temperature passing through the showerfdevice at all times While my invention has been described in a the specific form shown for the purposes of illustration it is clear that it can be embodied in variousforms with the same or equivalent advantages. a

coating machine, comprising in comb nat1on,a 'conveyer mechanism to carry confections to befc'o ated,means to flood the confections on the conveyor with liquid coat ing inateriahtwo or morewarming contain ers tor the coat ng material, together with mechanism to cause arcirculation of the coating material from one or the other of said" containers to' said flooding means.

a 2; A coat ng machine, comprising incom bln conga r nt rs? h nis t ca confections to be coated: iiieans toflotid the r tes-e1- confections on the conveyer with liquid coating material,'two or more warming containers for the coating material, mechanism tocausethe circulation of the coating material from one container torsaid flooding. means and back to" another container.

3. A coating machine, comprising in combination, a conveyer mechanisinto carry 7 confections to becoated, means to flood the confections on the conveyer w th liquid coating material, two or more Warm ng containe'rs tor the coating material together with mechanism to causethecirculation of the'coating material from one of said containers to said flooding means and back to 7 said containers.

4. A coating machine, comprising in combination, a conveyei' mechanism to carry confections to be coated, means to flood the confection on. the conveyer with liquid coating material, two or more warm ng containers for the coating material, together w th mechanism to cause the circulation of the coating material from either "container to said flooding means and back to the same containei. I M V v .a

5. A coating machine, comprising incoin;

bination, a conveyer mechanism to carry. confections to be coated, means to flood the confections on theconveyer with liquid c'oatk ing material, two or more warming contain? ers for the coating material, together with mechanism to cause a. circulation of the was ing. material from all of said containers to said flood ng. means and back to said c'ontamers;

6. A; coating m achine,compriising incofn b nation, a substantially closed casing, a

conveyer mechanism to carry confection'sto be coated mounted to traverse said. casing, 'ineans located above the conveyer to flood the confectionsthereoii with liquid coating material, two or more warming tanks v for the coating material located under the conveyer, a force-feed conveyerin said connec-', tion adapted to connect said tanks with the flooding means having" suitable valvest'to' connect with either or both; tank sca drip tank located under the conveyer having an outlet with a valve therein to direct the coating material dripping from the conveyer to either onset the tanks.

7. A coating'machine, comprisingin combi nation, a substantially closed casing, a conveyer mechanism. to carry confections mounted to traverse said casing, a flooding device located above the co'nveyer, two

warming containers located beneath the conveyer each having rotatable agitators there' in, a force "e'ed coiiveyei to the flooding de vice connected with both of saidta'nks, a

valve arranged in said conveyer to shut off the "comic tio'n toone or both 01; sa d'taiiks,

. 7,. .1 1'. i .1 i 'l A i a drip pan located below the conyeyer and assesses-aura arrangedtereceivethe'aoat:

ing material passing through the conveyer conveyer, the agitators, and the force-feed 3nd meansI at the Ollltiet of said grip pin Ito conveyer.

irect saic materia to one or 0th 0. tie r tanks, driving and speed changing devices ALONAO LINTON BAUSMAN' located on the upper wall of said casing Witnesses: having driving connections therefrom pass- F. G. NEAL, ing into the casing and operable to drive the E. HAR'IWELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

